Shedeur Sanders is making things hard for the Cleveland Browns, and even worse for Dillon Gabriel.
Sanders has turned the tables on Gabriel, who took over the starting job from Joe Flacco in Week 5, while Sanders was third-string at the time. However, Sanders got his shot in Week 11 against the Baltimore Ravens when Gabriel suffered a concussion and exited at halftime.
Sanders played poorly in his first two quarters but has steadily gotten better over the past three games. Most recently, he threw for 364 yards and three touchdowns and also ran for a score against the Tennessee Titans in a breakout game.
The discussion has now turned from a Gabriel-Sanders debate over the final month of the season to the question of whether Sanders can play himself into the QB1 spot for the mid-to-longterm future. Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated answered that question Wednesday, December 10 with: “We’ll see.”
“My hunch is that he’d have to do a lot to win the job outright next year, but I could see a scenario in which he’s part of a real competition, unlike this year,” Breer wrote. “And that’s a great credit to him. His improvement has been steady. In the process, this whole thing has gone from being a morning-TV sideshow to a pretty cool story.”
Shedeur Sanders’ Success May Now Be Best-Case Scenario for Dillon Gabriel
GettyQuarterback Shedeur Sanders of the Cleveland Browns.
As cool as the last month of the season has been for Sanders, it has been equally disastrous for Gabriel’s future.
Absent an absolute tanking by Sanders, Gabriel’s best-case scenario entering next preseason is as QB3 if the Browns decide to use one, or both, of their first-round draft picks to select a top rookie signal-caller.
Head coach Kevin Stefanski planned to roll with Gabriel indefinitely before his concussion, then Sanders forced Stefanski’s hand by playing too well for the Browns to pull him.
At this point, it might be better for Gabriel’s prospects if Sanders plays so well that the Browns choose to go elsewhere in the first round and roll with Sanders as the starter next spring. At least then Gabriel probably remains QB2 and is one injury away from getting another shot.
If Sanders plays strongly to finish 2025, but not strongly enough that the Browns still draft a rookie QB, Gabriel could find himself on the trade block.
Browns Could Build Out Roster by Settling on Shedeur Sanders as QB1
GettyCleveland Browns quarterback Shedeur Sanders.
Field Yates of ESPN in his first mock draft of the year predicted that the Browns will be too good to nab one of the top QBs in the 2026 class, and will thereby use the No. 4 overall pick and the No. 27 pick they acquired from the Jacksonville Jaguars to add two quality players around Sanders next season.
“[Carnell] Tate is the next first-round lock from the Ohio State receiver room, and he would be awesome in the Cleveland pass game,” Yates wrote. “He has very good size, runs terrific routes and can make contested catches. He would bring a vertical ability, as he averaged 17.5 yards per catch this season. Also of note: Tate has zero drops on 58 targets this season.”
Beyond adding a No. 1 wideout for Sanders, Yates predicted the team will shore up the left tackle position late in Round 1 by selecting Alabama’s Kadyn Proctor.
“There are no doubts about his experience (three years at starting left tackle) and overwhelming power in the running game,” Yates continued. “After allowing nine sacks as a true freshman, he has surrendered just four over the past two seasons.”
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